Yogi Berra, long-time all-star catcher for the Yankees and quote machine, died recently. This is one of about a million articles written in tribute to him. But it is probably one of the few that genuinely celebrates his unorthodox use of language that, in all likelihood, is more responsible for his fame than his baseball accomplishments.<\/p>\n

Celebrating the Unorthodox<\/h3>\n

Back to a couple of key words\u2026celebrating his use of language<\/em>. Are you kidding me? This is the guy who said \u201cYou can observe a lot by watching\u201d, \u201cWhen you come to a fork in the road, take it\u201d, and \u201cThe future ain\u2019t what it used to be\u201d. Why would we celebrate such nonsensical statements?<\/p>\n

Because when you allow yourself to step away from the precision of the words, the basic message is clear and memorable. And isn\u2019t that the essence of communication? Yogi was the master of conveying a message. And his unconventional method made his messages very memorable.<\/p>\n

A Time & Place for Precision<\/h3>\n

There certainly is a time and place for precision in communication \u2013 legal documents, non-fiction writing, technical writing, etc\u2026 But Yogi teaches us that there is more than one way to convey a message and to make it stick. And sometimes the precise, technical, and often boring methods of communicating can go in one ear and out the other.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice, there is.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cA nickel ain\u2019t worth a dime anymore.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cNo one goes there nowadays. It\u2019s too crowded.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cIf the world were perfect, it wouldn\u2019t be.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Words are Important \u2013 But they Don\u2019t Mean Everything<\/h3>\n

These colorful quotes give us insight into how Yogi thinks and what makes him tick. They help us connect to his messages because it\u2019s fun to try to figure out what he really means. He finds a way to create a positive emotional response by merely offering a simple phrase. And yet our interpretation of his message is consistent.<\/p>\n

The overarching lesson is that words are important for effective communication, but they don\u2019t mean everything. Find a way to elicit an emotional response<\/em>, whether through the colorful use of language or creative ways to deliver the communication. Take as much time to think about HOW you are saying something as you do WHAT you are saying.<\/p>\n

Oh, and a personal apology to Yogi for not paying my respects in person, because \u201cYou should always go to other people\u2019s funerals; otherwise they won\u2019t come to yours\u201d.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Image Courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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